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Circus of the Dead
Twenty years ago, the dead destroyed the world of the living. The survivors scattered in the wake of the Scourge, erecting small towns in the worlds' most sparsely populated areas.
For young Gabriel, the walking dead are merely the memories that haunt the eyes of those old enough and lucky enough to have survived. He is more concerned with his hard life in America's desert, where his chores keep him busy and the husks of books stashed beneath the cellar of the library are his only freedom.
Until the circus comes to town.
"Circus of the Dead" is a novelette of approximately 10,748 words.
For young Gabriel, the walking dead are merely the memories that haunt the eyes of those old enough and lucky enough to have survived. He is more concerned with his hard life in America's desert, where his chores keep him busy and the husks of books stashed beneath the cellar of the library are his only freedom.
Until the circus comes to town.
"Circus of the Dead" is a novelette of approximately 10,748 words.
32 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 17, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
January 23, 2022
This is one my famous "Nook Books." For those of you who do not know, draw a chair close as I tell the tale of the "nook books."
Many, many years ago in a land far away there was a young woman who decided leap into the digital age and purchased an E-reader. Without one bit of research our Young Heroine, lets call her Badseedgirl, took her hard earned money and bought a Nook. And that was the hill she decided to die on. Badseedgirl was a devoted Nook owner for many years. Yes, she saw Kindles and all the wonderful options she could not get with her Nook, but, by the Worms of Arrakis, Nook was what she loved! And here is where our heroine languished for 10 years. During her time as a devoted Nookaphile, Badseedgirl collected a range of free or low cost books of varying quality. Most of which she never read, because by that time she had found the wonderful and magical escape to the world of Overdrive. After 10 years, the Blessed Nook, died. Refusing to turn on no matter how many times Badseedgirl begged, prayed or plugged it into the charger. Badseedgirl finally had to admit that the Blessed Nook was dead, never to be recharged again. Badseedgirl bravely held back tears as she logged on to the Amazon website and ordered a Kindle.
Like the people in 1984, after they had been through re-education, Badseedgirl learned that sometimes "2+2 is 5" (or whatever Jeff Bezos decrees it) Badseedgirl learned to love her Kindle, the greater options and longer read time, she even bought a Kindle paperwhite to take with her on her vacations because in her own words "they are so cheap, who would bother to steal it!" But in spite of all that, she never forgot her beloved Blessed Nook, in fact up until her last move Badseedgirl still had that Nook and every once in a while in the dead of night, under the cover of darkness Badseedgirl would plug the Blessed Nook in a try and turn it on. Alas, Badseedgirl was never to see that glorious upside down "U" again.
One Day while wandering around the vast wilderness that is the Internet, Badseedgirl found an app and instructions on how to load her vast Nook library of her here to unavailable books on to her Kindle, and Thus, the Nook Books were born.
These Books are all the books I still have not read, but am slowly working my way through. Circus of the Dead is one of them. This whole story should probably be on a blog of some type, but since I'm afraid a blog would cut into my reading time, you good people of Goodreads were forced to listen to this rambling tale,
" Now I beg all those that listen to this little treatise, or read it if there be anything in it that pleases them, they thank Our Lord Jesu Christ for it, from whom proceeds all understanding and goodness.
And if there be anything that displeases them, I beg them also to impute it to the fault of my want of ability, and not to my will, who would very gladly have said better if I had had the power..."
As far as this story goes. I liked it. I think it was a well written tale and made me care about the characters. I liked the idea and the appeal of going to see the forbidden. Because, remember Eve was tempted by the fruit of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, and haven't we all wanted a little nibble from that oh so tempting and dangerous fruit at some time in our lives?
Many, many years ago in a land far away there was a young woman who decided leap into the digital age and purchased an E-reader. Without one bit of research our Young Heroine, lets call her Badseedgirl, took her hard earned money and bought a Nook. And that was the hill she decided to die on. Badseedgirl was a devoted Nook owner for many years. Yes, she saw Kindles and all the wonderful options she could not get with her Nook, but, by the Worms of Arrakis, Nook was what she loved! And here is where our heroine languished for 10 years. During her time as a devoted Nookaphile, Badseedgirl collected a range of free or low cost books of varying quality. Most of which she never read, because by that time she had found the wonderful and magical escape to the world of Overdrive. After 10 years, the Blessed Nook, died. Refusing to turn on no matter how many times Badseedgirl begged, prayed or plugged it into the charger. Badseedgirl finally had to admit that the Blessed Nook was dead, never to be recharged again. Badseedgirl bravely held back tears as she logged on to the Amazon website and ordered a Kindle.
Like the people in 1984, after they had been through re-education, Badseedgirl learned that sometimes "2+2 is 5" (or whatever Jeff Bezos decrees it) Badseedgirl learned to love her Kindle, the greater options and longer read time, she even bought a Kindle paperwhite to take with her on her vacations because in her own words "they are so cheap, who would bother to steal it!" But in spite of all that, she never forgot her beloved Blessed Nook, in fact up until her last move Badseedgirl still had that Nook and every once in a while in the dead of night, under the cover of darkness Badseedgirl would plug the Blessed Nook in a try and turn it on. Alas, Badseedgirl was never to see that glorious upside down "U" again.
One Day while wandering around the vast wilderness that is the Internet, Badseedgirl found an app and instructions on how to load her vast Nook library of her here to unavailable books on to her Kindle, and Thus, the Nook Books were born.
These Books are all the books I still have not read, but am slowly working my way through. Circus of the Dead is one of them. This whole story should probably be on a blog of some type, but since I'm afraid a blog would cut into my reading time, you good people of Goodreads were forced to listen to this rambling tale,
" Now I beg all those that listen to this little treatise, or read it if there be anything in it that pleases them, they thank Our Lord Jesu Christ for it, from whom proceeds all understanding and goodness.
And if there be anything that displeases them, I beg them also to impute it to the fault of my want of ability, and not to my will, who would very gladly have said better if I had had the power..."
As far as this story goes. I liked it. I think it was a well written tale and made me care about the characters. I liked the idea and the appeal of going to see the forbidden. Because, remember Eve was tempted by the fruit of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, and haven't we all wanted a little nibble from that oh so tempting and dangerous fruit at some time in our lives?
March 20, 2023
This book was a little slow for me. I wanted to get to the circus a little sooner but I enjoyed the short story. The ending was not what I expected.
November 8, 2011
Great suspenseful story with a twist! Gabriel, the main character, has never known life before the Scourge, much less seen an undead. He only has his books and his father's stories. When the circus comes around, he gets a lesson about life on the outside and the people within his town. The attention to detail made me get swept up in the characters and I felt like I was part of this little "no-name" town. I love stories with a twist and this one did not disappoint!
March 22, 2017
Short story
Years after the scourge, a circus comes to town with one of the undead the young people have never seen. The encounter with the townspeople isn't good for either side. Very good story. 4 out of 5 stars.
Years after the scourge, a circus comes to town with one of the undead the young people have never seen. The encounter with the townspeople isn't good for either side. Very good story. 4 out of 5 stars.
March 31, 2018
Meh! It was a bogus short story to read. I don't even want to talk about it. Never mind better luck next time...
November 28, 2011
Wow!!! Loved how this author pulled you into the story via description. Also loved the fact that you could actually picture the small town that they populated after the Scourge and how primitive their lives where. And boy when the circus came...and the promise of how things use (entrainment, fun, carefree and let’s not forget all the lights:-) Who could resist? And last but not least- to see an actual zombie!!! Well...need I say more, this is a must read for all zombie fans!!!
October 28, 2013
Another one of my finds on Amazon for free (and yes, it's still free now).
A good little story - zombies and a circus, how could you go wrong? Check it out. Interesting ending, but the VERY ending, eh, not so much, at least for me.
A good little story - zombies and a circus, how could you go wrong? Check it out. Interesting ending, but the VERY ending, eh, not so much, at least for me.
November 30, 2011
What a delightful and creepy little story!
October 27, 2012
This short story, with its oddly unexpected HEA ending, is brilliant! Exceptional. *checks dictionary for other synonyms* Clever, genius, inventive, profound (oh, yes, it is), sharp, masterly. Okay, I think you got it.
A first person narrative, from the MC’s point of view, Circus of the Dead is about the survivors of the Scourge, the zombie apocalypse that destroyed the world, living a primitive life in a tiny, nameless town.
The town’s preacher, Rev. Joe, has taken upon himself the role of leader, preaching to the townsfolk teachings of the Bible, turning them into an almost cult-like community. They live a quiet, empty life until the circus comes to town.
When Fancy Man, as Gabe dubs him, invites them to the circus with promises of showing them a living dead, he’s met with apprehension and hostility from most of the people, with Rev. Joe in front. His invitation, however, causes people to divide between those who are curious – mostly the young ones who’ve never seen a zombie – and those that are clearly against the circusfolk.
Gabe and his brother, Christopher, both under the age of 18, sneak into the middle of the night and go to the circus. In the middle of the night’s event, everything goes to hell. And that’s all I’m willing to say.
Blackburn’s writing is epic! Descriptive and detailed, the zombie scene and one other (that I will not name) are surprisingly chilling. His world-building is so good to the point where I can easily imagine this depressing,desert setting. He writes a sequence of events that I couldn’t predict, started by a twist I sure as heck didn’t see coming.
Every metaphor and comparison, every paragraph is building up to that one game-changer scene and it.is.great!
Seriously, how have I not heard of Blackburn until now? Such a smart, fantastic read.
To makes things better, this is free on Smashwords so go get it! Now.
Part of the Hallowen Haunted Reads.
See this review, and others, here:
A first person narrative, from the MC’s point of view, Circus of the Dead is about the survivors of the Scourge, the zombie apocalypse that destroyed the world, living a primitive life in a tiny, nameless town.
The town’s preacher, Rev. Joe, has taken upon himself the role of leader, preaching to the townsfolk teachings of the Bible, turning them into an almost cult-like community. They live a quiet, empty life until the circus comes to town.
When Fancy Man, as Gabe dubs him, invites them to the circus with promises of showing them a living dead, he’s met with apprehension and hostility from most of the people, with Rev. Joe in front. His invitation, however, causes people to divide between those who are curious – mostly the young ones who’ve never seen a zombie – and those that are clearly against the circusfolk.
Gabe and his brother, Christopher, both under the age of 18, sneak into the middle of the night and go to the circus. In the middle of the night’s event, everything goes to hell. And that’s all I’m willing to say.
Blackburn’s writing is epic! Descriptive and detailed, the zombie scene and one other (that I will not name) are surprisingly chilling. His world-building is so good to the point where I can easily imagine this depressing,desert setting. He writes a sequence of events that I couldn’t predict, started by a twist I sure as heck didn’t see coming.
Every metaphor and comparison, every paragraph is building up to that one game-changer scene and it.is.great!
Seriously, how have I not heard of Blackburn until now? Such a smart, fantastic read.
To makes things better, this is free on Smashwords so go get it! Now.
Part of the Hallowen Haunted Reads.
See this review, and others, here:
December 26, 2011
What can I say about this? This was the first "Zombie" book I have ever read. I can honestly say zombies scare the crap out of me so I tend to shy away form them. But this being a novella and a short read I decided to give it a try. It is about a young boy ( Gabriel ) who is a part of a community of people brought together by the "Scourge" that had gripped humanity and almost wiped everyone out of existence. Zombies were the cause of this catastrophe. Well, a circus comes to their little, dusty community. Since no one in this community under 20 yrs of age actually remember ever seeing a Zombie when the man running the circus boasts of having a "live Zombie" most of the town is automatically entranced. Gabriel sneaks away with his older brother Christopher to see the wonder that is the circus. And what they see is truly a wonder for their eyes. Electricity, which they have never seen, is everywhere in twinkling, colored lights. Sweet smells, food, and animals that no one has ever seen are also there. But it is what is in the center stage that has everyone holding their breath to see. When the zombie is brought out, Gabriel has a moment of clarity. He see what a horrible thing is before him, and the author does a wonderful job of explaining the look of this thing. He see's that it is chained and locked to a post and he understands how they have no soul, nothing but hunger and hatred in it's eyes. And that is when everything goes to hell. I have left out a good portion of this story and I would recommend it as a to read. I HATE zombie stuff, but I did enjoy this short novella.
March 22, 2012
I love zombie themed books, and when I find one (especially free) I quickly and eagerly download it to my Kindle and make a nice evening of it with a hot cup a tea and my animals resting near me.
So as my tea brewed I loaded the story, figuring it was a great night for a quick read that I can complete from start to finish in one night.
The opening caught my interest immediately, intrigued by the idea that the world had already suffered from zombies, whereas most books I've read start the story from the infection stages. The description of the town had an 'off' feeling to it, which added to my excitement. Even a small nameless Christian town was bound to have it's internal problems and secrets.
Then foreigners arrive, and I suddenly felt uneasy as I continued reading. Circus and zombies is a very odd combination to begin with, but I started to feel that the story wasn't going in the great direction is it did in the beginning.
It felt like it was a big build up to one scene--and that's fine-- but I would have liked more of an action packed ending. It seemed to me that the focus was building the characters/environment, but when the real action happened the descriptions fell flat and rushed. I would have like more time and description towards the end to really give me that "whoa" affect.
The author certainly has potential, and I would read another zombie book by the author in hopes that the next story would provide me what I didn't feel in this.
If you're a fellow zombie lover that cannot get enough of this genre, I encourage you to feel this story out for yourself and make your own judgements.
So as my tea brewed I loaded the story, figuring it was a great night for a quick read that I can complete from start to finish in one night.
The opening caught my interest immediately, intrigued by the idea that the world had already suffered from zombies, whereas most books I've read start the story from the infection stages. The description of the town had an 'off' feeling to it, which added to my excitement. Even a small nameless Christian town was bound to have it's internal problems and secrets.
Then foreigners arrive, and I suddenly felt uneasy as I continued reading. Circus and zombies is a very odd combination to begin with, but I started to feel that the story wasn't going in the great direction is it did in the beginning.
It felt like it was a big build up to one scene--and that's fine-- but I would have liked more of an action packed ending. It seemed to me that the focus was building the characters/environment, but when the real action happened the descriptions fell flat and rushed. I would have like more time and description towards the end to really give me that "whoa" affect.
The author certainly has potential, and I would read another zombie book by the author in hopes that the next story would provide me what I didn't feel in this.
If you're a fellow zombie lover that cannot get enough of this genre, I encourage you to feel this story out for yourself and make your own judgements.
June 4, 2013
I am fascinated by the atmosphere and the visions of an old-fashioned circus. Or more precise, I am fascinated by the made up construct of this, the idea where you live in a time and place where a circus coming to town is so miraculous and indeed magical with all its promises, smells and creepiness, you want to run away with it. A construct I am not sure it ever really existed the way I imagine it and therefor can only be found in books. Something similar goes for Zombies, at least that they can only be found in fiction (so far!).
This short story/ novelette puts both together, and it was a free kindle download, yay. And even nicer, it was really good. It has some familiar elements but they are used well. And it has a lot for its own, a lot to make this an incredibly good story with good pacing and nice moments. It was melancholic and hopeful in parts, a bit creepy, maybe we could have seen a bit more of the showdown though.
At the start I was not so sure I was going to like this but once the wagon got rolling and we ambled into the circus things were pitch perfect. I was bedazzled along with our Protagonist Gabriel, here Zombie novel, coming-of-age tale and historic exploration meet and blend to a bewitching experience. The ending was good but could have been better. It really shines in the middle parts I thought, and it made you want more. Not so much from this story, I think that was rightfully explored, but from the writer, I enjoyed his style and character insights!
3.5 stars!!
This short story/ novelette puts both together, and it was a free kindle download, yay. And even nicer, it was really good. It has some familiar elements but they are used well. And it has a lot for its own, a lot to make this an incredibly good story with good pacing and nice moments. It was melancholic and hopeful in parts, a bit creepy, maybe we could have seen a bit more of the showdown though.
At the start I was not so sure I was going to like this but once the wagon got rolling and we ambled into the circus things were pitch perfect. I was bedazzled along with our Protagonist Gabriel, here Zombie novel, coming-of-age tale and historic exploration meet and blend to a bewitching experience. The ending was good but could have been better. It really shines in the middle parts I thought, and it made you want more. Not so much from this story, I think that was rightfully explored, but from the writer, I enjoyed his style and character insights!
3.5 stars!!
April 2, 2012
3 stars is appropriate for the short novelette (short for a novelette), Circus of the Dead, even as a fan of zombie fiction. Most of the story is fueled by the growing temptation of the narrator that is designed to build intrigue for the reader. A traveling circus in a post apocalyptic world shows up in a small nameless town, and promises the people that they can see one of the living dead. The narrator, young in his adolescence, is driven by his curiosity to see the horror that had only been described to him in words. How it ends... well if you are a fan of zombie fiction I encourage you to check it out for yourself. Even for such a short story there are small parts in the middle that drag, the ending is very quick, but the imagery is solid. If a reader is looking for a story filled with zombie action then this story may be a disappointment. It is free on the Kindle bookstore. At just under 11,000 words, Circus of the Dead is a quick and easy read.
January 20, 2013
Gabriel is a teenager living in an unnamed Christian town in the American desert. All the inhabitants are survivors or their offspring of the Scourge, when flesh eating zombies took over the land. One day a circus comes to town and Reverend Joe warns the people to stay away. But Gabriel and his brother want to see what all the fuss is about.
Circus of the Dead is a novela of 136 KB and was written in 2011. It is a zombie horror story that is fun to read. It is a book of escapism and was an enjoyable read. It was entertaining and written in the first person. The writing quality and style are good. The pace is right and the editing is spot on. This is a bright story that is a joy to read. When you get to the ending you discover that Circus of the Dead is not just a zombie horror story. There is a message about society, religion and how small an individual's place is on earth. I consider Circus of the Dead a good book and I will be voting it 4 stars on Goodreads.
Circus of the Dead is a novela of 136 KB and was written in 2011. It is a zombie horror story that is fun to read. It is a book of escapism and was an enjoyable read. It was entertaining and written in the first person. The writing quality and style are good. The pace is right and the editing is spot on. This is a bright story that is a joy to read. When you get to the ending you discover that Circus of the Dead is not just a zombie horror story. There is a message about society, religion and how small an individual's place is on earth. I consider Circus of the Dead a good book and I will be voting it 4 stars on Goodreads.
March 25, 2012
I'm a hard sell on zombie books because I have a hard time being lured into that world. This author did an exceptional job of creating all of the desire to go to the circus for ME that he was creating for the characters in the book. Thrilling, dangerous, and ultimately realized as it should have been.
January 15, 2013
I love watching zombie movies so when I found this short story on Kindle I went ahead and downloaded. This truly was the perfect introduction to reading zombie books. Expertly written. I felt like I was there as the author drew me in from beginning to end. I recommend this to everyone and if I could, I would give it a higher rating!
August 20, 2017
Things go horribly wrong when the Circus comes to town.
The ending was short and abrupt.
The ending was short and abrupt.
January 27, 2012
This book is actually a novella - its only 64 pages but brilliantly written, full of emotion. Very enjoyable.
January 28, 2012
good short story
September 14, 2018
The beginning of this short story started out well, and the premise drew me in. In a post apocalyptic world a traveling circus visits a small town. One of its highlights? Showing off a zombie, the cause of this apocalypse.
Unfortunately, that was the most exciting thing about the book. The worldbuilding was quite interesting, and I'd like to learn more about the world. But the books wandered from character to character, giving backstories for people who might not have needed them. The ending also sort of meandered its way to a conclusion. But by then it had lost steam.
If you like zombie books, give this a try, by all means. But it simply wasn't the sort of story I was looking for.
Unfortunately, that was the most exciting thing about the book. The worldbuilding was quite interesting, and I'd like to learn more about the world. But the books wandered from character to character, giving backstories for people who might not have needed them. The ending also sort of meandered its way to a conclusion. But by then it had lost steam.
If you like zombie books, give this a try, by all means. But it simply wasn't the sort of story I was looking for.
November 15, 2017
I enjoyed this short story. I found it touchongvand thought provoking. Worth t ::) e 30 minutes,to read it.
Excellent. Well written. Provoking and raw. Great little story. High lying recommended. I'm not much of a zombie fan yet this I enjoyed.
Excellent. Well written. Provoking and raw. Great little story. High lying recommended. I'm not much of a zombie fan yet this I enjoyed.
December 4, 2025
Disgusting
I didn’t expect this book to be so disgusting! It was awful! Blood, guts, gore, horror!! Awful!! Disgusting! This author needs Jesus Christ as his personal savior! I pray that Seth Blackburn comes to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ!
I didn’t expect this book to be so disgusting! It was awful! Blood, guts, gore, horror!! Awful!! Disgusting! This author needs Jesus Christ as his personal savior! I pray that Seth Blackburn comes to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ!
January 27, 2026
That was terrifying.
January 11, 2024
My goal is to clear up some of the books I have started over the last few years and lost interest, so I started with this quick read.
The world has been taken over by an apocalyptic event that has turned people into zombies.
Christopher and his brother Gabriel are in a small town where life is boring. They work pray and sleep with no dreams of a future in a world destroyed by disaster. The excitement and the thought of an adventure builds when a small Circus rolls into town. This forbidden treat draws their attention and they are determined to sneak out and see this small pleasure. The story is good even though the beginning is slow. Definitely a good quick read
Overall story ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Description /imagery ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Characters ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ending ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The world has been taken over by an apocalyptic event that has turned people into zombies.
Christopher and his brother Gabriel are in a small town where life is boring. They work pray and sleep with no dreams of a future in a world destroyed by disaster. The excitement and the thought of an adventure builds when a small Circus rolls into town. This forbidden treat draws their attention and they are determined to sneak out and see this small pleasure. The story is good even though the beginning is slow. Definitely a good quick read
Overall story ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Description /imagery ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Characters ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ending ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
November 20, 2019
This ebook was just lame, boring and not really worth the time it took to download it and to read it. Normally I put spoiler warnings in my reviews but here I won't because I won't bother telling you what happens in this book because it's so lame that it's not even worth talking about.
Even as I sit here writing this, the only character's name who I can remember is the Reverend Joe, because he had that one defining characteristic, he was a reverend. The Reverend was just an annoying character because according to him anything good, anything fun, anything enjoyable, and anything pleasurable was from Satan and you were going to hell because you enjoyed doing something other than monotonous, thankless, backbreaking labor.
The other characters I don't think even had names. The guy in the tux wasn't given a name other than something like, "Fancy Pants." Plus his fat buddy who drove his carriage around didn't have a name and the only defining characteristic he had was that he chewed tobacco and the stains were all over the front of his clothes.
Something else that is annoying in this "zombie" book is that there are barely any zombies in it! Seriously! There are zombies in this book for like maybe 2 pages total and the rest is just about these lame and boring characters that frankly I had no investment in.
One thing I will give the author props on is his ability to describe a scene. He describes the dilapidated town these characters live in perfectly. I could very easily picture the buildings that were put together from the ruins of other older buildings. I was able to envision the dingy, yet colorful circus with its bright lights and loud music. Also the description of the clown with his grease paint make-up was very well done and it really painted a good picture of what the clown looked like.
All in all the story is just boring and the characters are easily forgettable. The author is great with the English language, he just doesn't have a story to tell. The only thing that kept me reading was the hope that soon there would be a storyline in this book. But sadly there was none.
Even as I sit here writing this, the only character's name who I can remember is the Reverend Joe, because he had that one defining characteristic, he was a reverend. The Reverend was just an annoying character because according to him anything good, anything fun, anything enjoyable, and anything pleasurable was from Satan and you were going to hell because you enjoyed doing something other than monotonous, thankless, backbreaking labor.
The other characters I don't think even had names. The guy in the tux wasn't given a name other than something like, "Fancy Pants." Plus his fat buddy who drove his carriage around didn't have a name and the only defining characteristic he had was that he chewed tobacco and the stains were all over the front of his clothes.
Something else that is annoying in this "zombie" book is that there are barely any zombies in it! Seriously! There are zombies in this book for like maybe 2 pages total and the rest is just about these lame and boring characters that frankly I had no investment in.
One thing I will give the author props on is his ability to describe a scene. He describes the dilapidated town these characters live in perfectly. I could very easily picture the buildings that were put together from the ruins of other older buildings. I was able to envision the dingy, yet colorful circus with its bright lights and loud music. Also the description of the clown with his grease paint make-up was very well done and it really painted a good picture of what the clown looked like.
All in all the story is just boring and the characters are easily forgettable. The author is great with the English language, he just doesn't have a story to tell. The only thing that kept me reading was the hope that soon there would be a storyline in this book. But sadly there was none.
February 2, 2013
You know the old saying, "you get what you pay for"? This is a free book on Amazon for Kindle, so you do the math.
Gabriel is a young man who is looking for some excitement with his friends in a post-apocalyptic zombie world. They live in a very structured society and when the Reverend forbids his parishioners to see a local traveling circus, that just ensures Gabriel and his friends will go.
The ending was one of the worse I've ever read. Here's how I knew it was over--there were no more pages. No denouement, no resolution. Just, the end. Dissatisfying. It wasn't that I hated this book. I just didn't like it. It felt very amateurish and quickly done.
This book reminded me of Darrell Shan's series, Cirque Du Freak. Same exact plot, substituting zombies for vampires. Unlike Cirque Du Freak, this is much too inappropriate for teen readers. It is chock full of foul language and drug references as well as being sexually suggestive and very violent.
I suppose my biggest pet peeve with books like this is that they are so focused on the topic that a focus on good writing goes right out the window. Everyone is rushing to write and read zombie books right now because zombies are 'in'. But, still, there has to be a good effort to make a good story.
Thankfully, it was a very short read. I will not be reading anymore books by this author and will continue the search for a good zombie tale.
Gabriel is a young man who is looking for some excitement with his friends in a post-apocalyptic zombie world. They live in a very structured society and when the Reverend forbids his parishioners to see a local traveling circus, that just ensures Gabriel and his friends will go.
The ending was one of the worse I've ever read. Here's how I knew it was over--there were no more pages. No denouement, no resolution. Just, the end. Dissatisfying. It wasn't that I hated this book. I just didn't like it. It felt very amateurish and quickly done.
This book reminded me of Darrell Shan's series, Cirque Du Freak. Same exact plot, substituting zombies for vampires. Unlike Cirque Du Freak, this is much too inappropriate for teen readers. It is chock full of foul language and drug references as well as being sexually suggestive and very violent.
I suppose my biggest pet peeve with books like this is that they are so focused on the topic that a focus on good writing goes right out the window. Everyone is rushing to write and read zombie books right now because zombies are 'in'. But, still, there has to be a good effort to make a good story.
Thankfully, it was a very short read. I will not be reading anymore books by this author and will continue the search for a good zombie tale.
May 13, 2017
I downloaded this book free from the internet. Unlike some readers, I've had some really good free reads from sites like Smashwords and Amazon. Sadly for me, this was not one of them.
It's not that there was anything WRONG with it. I had no complaints about the author's style of writing, it was well edited and I knew in advance that it was a short story. It's just that with the cover and title, I was expecting a zombiefest with horrific zombie action and the book just did not deliver that.
The book is basically a history of this town, a bit about how life as we knew it ended, how the town operates day to day and the rest are the thoughts of the world's most boring teenage boy. Nothing of interest happens until you hear about the Circus from the strangers, then we get more teenage angst and some hellfire lectures by the local preacher who doesn't want his people to go there. When we finally get the Circus, there is too much emphasis on the women working there and not enough about the zombie. You only see the zombies right at the end of the story, and the bits where they have been attacking people are not described, which is a big let down.
If you are looking for a blood and gore zombie novel, this is not the book for you. If you like slow burning apocalypse books without much action it might appeal more to you.
It's not that there was anything WRONG with it. I had no complaints about the author's style of writing, it was well edited and I knew in advance that it was a short story. It's just that with the cover and title, I was expecting a zombiefest with horrific zombie action and the book just did not deliver that.
The book is basically a history of this town, a bit about how life as we knew it ended, how the town operates day to day and the rest are the thoughts of the world's most boring teenage boy. Nothing of interest happens until you hear about the Circus from the strangers, then we get more teenage angst and some hellfire lectures by the local preacher who doesn't want his people to go there. When we finally get the Circus, there is too much emphasis on the women working there and not enough about the zombie. You only see the zombies right at the end of the story, and the bits where they have been attacking people are not described, which is a big let down.
If you are looking for a blood and gore zombie novel, this is not the book for you. If you like slow burning apocalypse books without much action it might appeal more to you.
September 15, 2025
Circus if the Dead by Seth Blackburn is a horror short story, approximately 32 pages in length that I was able to download to my Kindle for FREE from Amazon.
Below is my honest, unbiased review of Circus if the Dead by Seth Blackburn.
Aside from Circus if the Dead by Seth Blackburn being FREE, I was additionally attracted to this short story's cover artwork, which looked really cool!! I also enjoy reading short stories because they are a great way to become acquainted with a new to me author's writing without having to make a commitment to reading a full length novel.
I thought Circus if the Dead by Seth Blackburn was okay. It was interesting enough to read from start to finish, but not a short story that will be memorable for me in the long haul. Seth Blackburn's writing was okay... I don't think I'll be going out of my way to read anything else by Seth Blackburn.
Below is my honest, unbiased review of Circus if the Dead by Seth Blackburn.
Aside from Circus if the Dead by Seth Blackburn being FREE, I was additionally attracted to this short story's cover artwork, which looked really cool!! I also enjoy reading short stories because they are a great way to become acquainted with a new to me author's writing without having to make a commitment to reading a full length novel.
I thought Circus if the Dead by Seth Blackburn was okay. It was interesting enough to read from start to finish, but not a short story that will be memorable for me in the long haul. Seth Blackburn's writing was okay... I don't think I'll be going out of my way to read anything else by Seth Blackburn.
March 29, 2012
Seth Blackburn, Circus of the Dead (Seth Blackburn, 2011)
A VERY solid short, this, much better than I was expecting given the usual quality of Kindle shorts that have been cast to the wild in the past few months. Some great characters, a vivid and detailed setting, solid pace, and if the ending is a bit predictable (and shows the wears in the fabric where Blackburn is wearing his Jonathan Maberry-loving heart on his sleeve), so what? The blasted, post-undead landscape is convincing (and pretty new), and Blackburn knows how to make it pop. Would love to see this expanded to novel-length, or expanded to be Part One of a novel, or what have you. Very good stuff. *** ½
A VERY solid short, this, much better than I was expecting given the usual quality of Kindle shorts that have been cast to the wild in the past few months. Some great characters, a vivid and detailed setting, solid pace, and if the ending is a bit predictable (and shows the wears in the fabric where Blackburn is wearing his Jonathan Maberry-loving heart on his sleeve), so what? The blasted, post-undead landscape is convincing (and pretty new), and Blackburn knows how to make it pop. Would love to see this expanded to novel-length, or expanded to be Part One of a novel, or what have you. Very good stuff. *** ½
November 5, 2012
It was an all right read, chances of me re-reading this book again is slim to none though. I did like the main character and with a short novel it was nice to greet some of the main characters who would take centre stage at the final moment.
I would say the final moments that happened was rather... flat, it wasn't exciting or gripping and it just seemed rather lack-luster than anything else.
The ending seemed a bit off to me as well, we see the main character older, with a family and... Maybe it is just me but I found that a bit off putting, the main character got some kind of happily ever after.
I would say the final moments that happened was rather... flat, it wasn't exciting or gripping and it just seemed rather lack-luster than anything else.
The ending seemed a bit off to me as well, we see the main character older, with a family and... Maybe it is just me but I found that a bit off putting, the main character got some kind of happily ever after.
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